Tobinco denies importing fake drugs

The management of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited, a leading pharmaceutical company in the country has denied violating provisions of the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851, on fake (counterfeit) products. “Tobinco, as the first to introduce the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health (MOH) approved anti-malaria drugs into the pharmaceutical market, is committed to the United Nations vision of combating malaria by 2015. “We can say without doubt that Tobinco has always imported quality pharmaceutical products over the past 13 years of operation in the country as the health and wellbeing of Ghanaians has always been our priority concern. “We will continue to contribute our quota to nation building through the provision of quality drugs and establishing world class manufacturing facilities in Ghana,” Mr Bernard Owusu Boateng, Tobinco Head of Regulatory Affairs, said in a statement to the media. The management of Tobinco therefore assured the public that it will continue to maintain the quality and integrity of its products as it embarks on resolving the operational hiccup with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). The statement said: “Our drugs that were and are being destroyed by the FDA are not fake drugs…. some of the medicines were passed under our previous registrations by the FDA whilst some are in the process of registration and cannot be described as fake”. The statement said the management of Tobinco acknowledges that product registration is for a period, after which the product must be re-registered upon the submission of the relevant supporting documentation, samples and payment, “we have duly been pursuing re-registration in respect of all the products we distribute. “We therefore state categorically that what has led to the recent state of affairs with regards to registration of products with the FDA has nothing to do with the integrity of the products”. The statement noted that a penalty imposed by FDA in connection with the registration issues has been duly paid and further discussions are ongoing…“indeed the requisite registration payments have been made and documentations are being prepared for the attention of FDA”. It said Tobinco would continue to provide facilities to hospitals, health centres, clinics, pharmacies and community based health programming services as well as play its social responsibility role to the community through drug donation. The management assured the general public that Tobinco Pharmaceutical Limited is committed to ensuing public health and safety and “have never and will not compromise on this. “We appreciate the support of our clients and customers who have sympathized with us in these trying times and assure them that they can continue to count on us to uphold our integrity and continue to provide quality service to them”. The statement said Tobinco would continue to deliver the safest, high quality and most potent pharmaceutical and other healthcare products, using highly motivated and competent human capital with an incredible passion for innovation, excellent and superior customer care. Tobinco is currently one of the leading pharmaceutical marketing and distribution company in Ghana.